Special Programs and Facilities

Academy of Marketing Science

The College of Business is the home office for the Academy of Marketing Science. The Academy of Marketing Science is an international, scholarly, professional organization dedicated to promoting excellence in the creation of and dissemination of marketing knowledge. The Academy has numerous programs that sponsor future scholars and encourage thoughtful leadership in marketing research. It is the publisher of the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science which is recognized as one of the top 10 most cited academic journals in all of business.

Applied Research for Organizational Solutions (AROS)

Applied Research for Organizational Solutions (AROS) is a consulting group within the Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences. The group is managed by faculty and leverages the energy, enthusiasm, and creativity of the graduate students of the Industrial-Organizational Psychology doctoral program. AROS’ purpose is to assist organizations in managing and enhancing their human capital. In partnership with client organizations, AROS develops innovative, yet practical solutions to develop, utilize, and broaden the experiences and contributions of people at work. AROS has executed projects for global, regional, and local organizations across multiple industries.

Athletics Opportunities

Louisiana Tech University is a member of Conference USA. Louisiana Tech has been a member of the NCAA since 1951. Men’s teams include football, basketball, indoor and outdoor track, baseball, cross-country, and golf. Women’s teams are basketball, indoor and outdoor track, cross-country, tennis, softball, volleyball, bowling, and soccer. This well-balanced sports program provides year-round opportunities for faculty, staff, and students to enjoy athletics on the highest level of collegiate competition.

Barksdale Air Force Base Program

Louisiana Tech has offered on-base degree programs at Barksdale Air Force Base since September 1965. Working in conjunction with the Department of the Air Force, Louisiana Tech provides postsecondary education programs designed to meet the needs of Air Force personnel. Civilians are permitted to participate on a space available basis. The Tech-Barksdale administrative offices are located in the Base Education Center and all courses are taught on-base or online. The following degrees are offered at Tech-Barksdale:

• Associate of General Studies (not available on main campus)
• Bachelor of General Studies
• Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
• Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Technology
• Graduate Certificate in Information Assurance
• Master of Arts in Counseling and Guidance
• Master of Arts in Industrial/Organizational Psychology
• Master of Business Administration

Bulldog Achievement Resource Center (BARC)

The Bulldog Achievement Resource Center (BARC), located on the main floor of Wyly Tower , provides learning assistance in Math, Chemistry, Biology, English, and Supplemental Instruction (SI) in various other courses that have been historically difficult for students. The BARC, which formally opened in 2007, plans to expand learning assistance to other subjects over time. Also housed in the BARC is a Writing Center providing writing assistance to students. Additionally, the BARC functions as a clearinghouse of information for students, provides supplemental advising, and makes referrals for students to other campus-based student services. For additional information, the BARC may be reached at (318) 257-4730.

Center for Applied Physics Studies (CAPS)

The Center for Applied Physics Studies (CAPS) was established in 1997 and has been identified by the University of Louisiana System as a Center of Excellence at Louisiana Tech University. The mission of CAPS is to provide a world-class, integrated engineering and physics educational and research environment, creating opportunities for interdisciplinary studies, sharing of resources, and transfer of technology from basic science to engineering applications. The Center brings together researchers from different academic disciplines and serves the educational needs of the Physics, Chemistry and Electrical Engineering Programs at Louisiana Tech University. The CAPS four primary research areas are:

1. Nuclear and High Energy Particle Physics
2. Photonics, Metamaterials and Nanotechnology
3. Computational Physics, Chemistry and Biology
4. Gravitational Physics and Observational Astronomy

The Center is participating in large scale national and international projects hosted by the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FermiLab), the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (TJNAF), and the European Center for Particle Physics (CERN). CAPS have been instrumental in recent major scientific advances including the discovery of the Higgs particle which endows mass to all matter in the Universe, and the development of an entirely new scientific discipline referred to as metamaterial science. The Center activities are externally funded with continuous support provided by Federal and State agencies such as the National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Energy (DoE), EPSCOR, LaSpace, LaBOR, and private companies.

The CAPS is located in the Engineering Annex Building and has 20,000 sq. ft. of office and laboratory space. The Center hosts the Cerberus community supercomputer and manages the Louisiana Tech Astronomical Observatory. For more information about the CAPS, visit us at www.caps.latech.edu.

Center for Biomedical Engineering and Rehabilitation Science (CBERS)

The Center for Biomedical Engineering and Rehabilitation Science (CBERS) was established in 1985 and since then has been identified as a Center of Excellence at Louisiana Tech University by the Louisiana State Legislature, and more recently by the University of Louisiana System in a review of all its colleges and universities. The Center exists to develop and promote fundamental and translational biomedical research, develop intellectual property, strong ties with biotechnology and medical industry, and strengthen the educational experience and potential of our engineering and science students in biosciences. Through its mission and vision, CBERS is bound to make a significant contribution to the economic development of the State of Louisiana.

The Center is actively engaged in all major fields of biomedical research across all disciplines of engineering and science. CBERS faculty are internationally acclaimed for the interdisciplinary biomedical research they conduct in the broad fields of Neural Engineering and Neuroscience, BioMEMS and Nanobiotechnology. Research laboratories to further support and enhance these efforts have been built in the thrust areas of biosignal and bioimage acquisition and processing, computer modeling and neural networks, biosensors, drug delivery, cell culture and tissue engineering, cancer detection, stem cells and gene technology. The Center promotes faculty’s entrepreneurial activities and has established and continues to pursue research partnerships with academic institutions, medical centers and industry regionally, nationally and internationally. CBERS research sponsors include the Whitaker Foundation, State of Louisiana, NSF, NIH, AFOSR, VA, and US Department of Education.

Louisiana Tech University’s Biomedical Engineering Program, the founding pillar of CBERS, is unique in the country being the only engineering school-based program that directly provides clinical rehabilitation services to individuals with disabilities. The center for Rehabilitation Engineering, Science and Technology (CREST), an integral part of CBERS, provides rehabilitation technology services and assessments to the State of Louisiana’s Rehabilitation Services agency and other clients. Certified specialists on staff include rehabilitation engineers, a counselor, occupational therapists and assistants, a speech/language pathologist, an adaptive driving evaluator, and a nurse. Additional resources of this center include craft workshops, graphics and video studios, various vehicles used in the driver-training programs, and animal research facilities.

CBERS is housed in the 50,000 sq. ft. Biomedical Engineering Building (BMEB). The building encompasses staff and administrative offices, lecture halls and teaching laboratories, core and individual faculty research laboratories with a wide range of state-of-the-art and clinical-grade equipment. A 5,500 sq. ft. electronically controlled access space at BMEB is dedicated to first class animal research facilities with two surgical suites, animal housing, autoclave and storage rooms, as well as by tissue and bacterial culture laboratories with CO2 incubators, biological safety II cabinets and filtered air transfer hoods.

Last but not least, CBERS provides unique opportunities for faculty and students throughout the university to participate in a multitude of related educational and research outreach activities and programs the Center organizes. For more information on the Center’s activities, please visit us at www.latech.edu/coes/cbers.

Center for Children and Families (CCF)

The Center for Children and Families (CCF) is an interdisciplinary initiative of the School of Human Ecology, established by the Louisiana Board of Regents in 1992. The mission of the Center for Children and Families is to improve the well-being of children, youth, and families in North Louisiana through educational programming, collaborative research, and service activities. A major component of the educational programming of CCF is the Bruce Everist Lecture Series, endowed in 1985 by the Ruston Auxiliary in honor of the late Dr. Bruce Everist, a pediatrician who served North Louisiana for almost half a century. Another component of the CCF is the NAEYC accredited, 5-star, Class A Early Childhood Education Center, a learning laboratory for 3- and 4-year old children. Family and Child Studies students and College of Education students observe, teach, and conduct research at the Center.

Center for Economic Education

The Center for Economic Education in the College of Business is affiliated with the Louisiana Council and the National Council on Economic Education. The Center’s primary purpose is to promote an increased level of economic understanding in the elementary and secondary schools of its service area.

Center for Entrepreneurship and Information Technology (CEnIT)

CEnIT creates an innovative entrepreneurial culture by enhancing the education of students in information technology and entrepreneurship; promoting the development and commercialization of information technologies generated by university faculty and students; and providing leadership in entrepreneurship and information technology outreach activities that will support economic development in the state. CEnIT is a collaboration between the College of Engineering and Science and the College of Business but involves participation from every college at the institution.

Center for Executive and Professional Development (CEPD)

The Center for Executive and Professional Development in the Louisiana Tech College of Business strives to impact the lives of working professionals by providing them access to excellence in non-credit business education. Our mission is to develop and deliver forward-thinking executive and professional development education. Offerings focus on leadership, team building, communication, and the tools needed for company success and growth. The CEPD brings the same quality and real world application to the non-credit courses as provided in the College’s Executive MBA and other degree programs.

Center for Information Assurance

The Center for Information Assurance located in the College of Business is a cutting-edge research center that conducts and promotes research in information assurance. The objective of the center is to conduct research that will focus on furthering in-depth knowledge of how information security and policy impact people, technology, and organizations.

Center for Real Estate Studies

Through funding from the Louisiana Real Estate Commission, the Center for Real Estate Studies coordinates real estate research, funds real estate scholarships, and promotes interaction with real estate professionals. The Center is housed in the College of Business.

Center for Rural Development

The Center for Rural Development provides a linkage between rural residents in Louisiana and experts at Louisiana Tech University in areas that are important to rural development. These include education, nutrition, technology, small business development, community design and planning, agriculture and forestry, folk life and the arts. The Center helps rural community leaders access the data, research, and technical assistance that is available at the University.

The Center’s staff also works with Louisiana Tech faculty who wish to do research that pertains to rural development by helping to identify possible community partners for their work.

In addition, the Center seeks to work on rural development projects and research in collaboration with programs at other agencies, non-profits and universities - both in the State of Louisiana and throughout the country.

The Center is also a source of information about funding opportunities in areas relating to rural development and can assist community leaders and Louisiana Tech faculty and staff in identifying potential sources of funding for specific projects.

Center for Secure Cyberspace (CSC)

The goal of the Center for Secure Cyberspace (CSC: csc.latech.edu) is to establish a national center of excellence dedicated to education and research in integrated smart cyber-centric sensor surveillance systems. The CSC aims to accomplish this goal by achieving three objectives:

• Develop a set of core research foundations in evolvable sensor hardware/software and develop corresponding transformational information technologies for the early prediction, detection, and control of anomalous behavior in cyberspace.
• Develop a world-class multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary center of excellence in Louisiana to support this research. This includes developing and supporting research focus in global scale identity management, situational understanding and attack attribution, enterprise-level metrics, privacy-aware security, combatting insider threats and provenance.
• Build strategic collaborative relationships between national and international academic and industrial partners, and consortia.

The CSC is supported by multiple academic programs, including but not limited to, computer science, cyber engineering and electrical engineering. Additional support is provided by the robust commercialization infrastructure at Louisiana Tech University, the Center for Entrepreneurship and Information Technology (CEnIT), the Enterprise Center, and the Technology Business Development Center (TBDC) that work with the CSC to commercialize technologies and establish services that support secure cyber operations in the military and the private sector.

CSC also contributes to the education and training programs at Louisiana Tech University through advanced courses and research projects, specialization courses, certification programs, laboratory courses, K-12 outreach efforts through discovery camps to support and sustain the cyberspace workforce development.

For more information about the CSC, visit us at www.csc.latech.edu.

Continuing Education

Today’s rate of increase in knowledge has made constant renewal of education a necessity. It is the responsibility of the University to play its part in meeting this need. Louisiana Tech University is committed to learning as a lifelong process. As a means of supporting this commitment, the Division of Continuing Education offers courses that provide learning experiences for both personal enrichment and continuing professional training. Annually, hundreds of people attend events such as non-credit seminars, workshops, and conferences offered through Continuing Education. Course offerings range from non-credit classes to certificate (CEU) courses. Additionally, thousands of employees receive customized training annually through grants or contract training partnerships with area businesses.

Early Childhood Education Center

The Louisiana Tech University Early Childhood Education Center, operated by the School of Human Ecology, is a model education program for 3- and 4-year-old children. The center offers two half-day sessions during Fall, Winter, and Spring Quarters. The center serves as a learning lab for students enrolled in Family and Child Studies programs and as a clinical experience site for students enrolled in the Early/Elementary Education (PK-3) program. In addition, students from a number of disciplines observe and participate in educational programming at the center. The 5-star center is a Louisiana Class A licensed center and is accredited by the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs Division of the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Experiential Education Programs

Experiential Education Programs at Louisiana Tech University are designed to provide quality-structured, supervised experiences for qualified students in their chosen professional fields. Experiences include practica, internships, cooperative education, clinicals, and student teaching. In many majors, the experiences are degree requirements; in other majors, the experiences are optional for students who choose to participate. Such experiences will enhance employment opportunities for students and carry academic credit. These programs also serve as an opportunity to integrate the theoretical principles studied in the classroom with the practical knowledge gained from on-the-job performance. Experiential Education Programs are provided in each academic college for a variety of academic majors. The availability of department or college opportunities should be discussed with the respective program director or department head.

Institute for Micromanufacturing (IfM)

Since its inception over a decade and a half ago, the Institute for Micromanufacturing (IfM: http:www.ifm.latech.edu) has been in the forefront of integrated multidisciplinary research, education, and technology commercialization. Starting from its original micromanufacturing emphasis, the Institute’s research and educational efforts have grown and expanded significantly to its current five thrust areas of emphasis, identified as Nanotechnology, Biotechnology, Biomedical Nanotechnology, Environmental Technology, and Information Technology.  The activities carried out through these thrust areas, coupled with the Institute’s integrated nanomanufacturing and micromanufacturing resources, have led to the realization of a broad range of research, educational and commercialization efforts. These include the development of novel micro/nano scale systems for biomedical, biological, environmental, chemical, information technology, and other applications.

• Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sensing
• Artificial Cells, Drug Delivery, and Other Biomedical Applications
• Energy and Environmental Applications
• Multiscale Systems for Energy and Defense Applications
• Wireless Micro/Nanosensor Networks

The Institute’s vision is to be a world class resource for the realization of commercially viable micro and nanosystems, contributing to the economic infrastructure of Louisiana and the nation and benefiting humanity as a whole.

There are over 25 faculty, postdoctoral scholars and engineering support staff associated with the IfM. The Institute faculty and staff have training and expertise in a wide range of science and engineering fields, including chemistry, physics, biology, materials science, mathematics and statistics, biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and civil engineering.

A total of over 100,000 sq. ft. is available to support research and development in these areas. Facilities include the 40,000 sq. ft. R & D facility, the 50,000 sq. ft. Biomedical Engineering Center (adjacent and connected); the X-ray beam lines and lithography processing facility at the Center for Advanced Microstructures and Devices (CAMD) in Baton Rouge, LA; and the Louisiana Tech University - Shreveport Center in the Shreve Industrial Park in Shreveport, LA. The R & D user facility is housed in a modern 41,000 sq. ft. building, designed specifically for research and development in micro/nano scale technologies and systems. The R & D complex includes classroom and conference rooms, faculty and staff offices, research and instructional laboratories, and a 144-seat auditorium. Laboratories occupy 20,000 sq. ft. of environmentally controlled workspace, and contain 5,000 sq. ft. of modular clean rooms. The laboratory facilities provide a full suite of micro- and nanomanufacturing capabilities, and a comprehensive set of measurement and characterization tools, as well as modeling and simulation software. ifm-marketing@latech.edu or IfM: http:www.ifm.latech.edu.

Integrated STEM Education Research Center (ISERC)

Louisiana Tech’s College of Engineering and Science has been aggressively engaged in education reform, including curricula redesign, K-12 interactions, and research in teaching and learning. ISERC is a leader in reinventing engineering and science education to meet the regional, national, and global challenges of the 21st century. Building on the past successes of multidisciplinary collaborations at Louisiana Tech, ISERC is focused on the following objectives:

• To serve as a catalyst for future research in engineering and science education at Louisiana Tech and throughout the nation,
• To provide a focal point for continued multidisciplinary collaboration in engineering and science education reform,
• To nationally disseminate innovative practices in engineering and science education, and
• To promote a culture of educational innovation among all engineering and science faculty.

Lomax Hall Horticultural Conservatory

The public is welcome to visit the Lomax Hall Conservatory and greenhouses. The Conservatory contains a permanent collection of tropical flowering and fruiting ornamental plants enhanced by seasonal displays of poinsettias, chrysanthemums, bulbs, and bedding plants. The greenhouses are used for educational, teaching, and research activities including propagation, production, and demonstration. The Agricultural Sciences Department provides assistance with individual or group tours.

Louisiana Forest Products Development Center (LFPDC)

The Louisiana Forest Products Development Center (LFPDC) is part of the School of Forestry, Louisiana Tech University, and the School of Renewable Natural Resources, LSU Ag Center. The Center attempts to not only develop new technology and products that will add value to forest products, but assure that it is adopted and put into the marketplace and ultimately made available to the consumer, thus improving quality of life for the consumer and improving the economy of the state. The LFPDC was originally established by the Louisiana Legislature as the Louisiana Forest Products Laboratory at both the LSU Agricultural Center and Louisiana Tech University, to provide technical assistance and help in development of value-added processing. To address the needs of Louisiana, the scope of the Lab was broadened in 1994 to include the whole value chain from the forest to the consumer. Overall, the goal of the LFPDC is to aid the state’s economy and well-being of its people through forest sector development. Visit our websites: www.lfpdc.lsu.edu or www.forestry.latech.edu.

Louisiana Tech Astronomy Facilities

The astronomy facilities of Louisiana Tech can be used for classroom and laboratory instruction and also for instructional demonstrations to visiting school groups and interested public groups. The facilities at the present time include a Planetarium on the main campus and an Observatory at the Research Park located about 11 miles west of the main campus. The observatory has an eleven-inch reflecting telescope maintained by the Physics Department. A 10-inch Smidt-Cassagrainian mount telescope is also in use.

The Planetarium seats 120 people under its 40-foot diameter dome. A Spitz A4-type instrument projects the sun, moon, and planets as well as about 3,000 visible stars, giving a correct and realistic simulation of the celestial view. The star projector combines with twelve automated slide projectors and a video projector to give visitors an impressive multimedia experience synchronized by a state of the art Theater Control System designed to present accurate, up to date astronomical information. Over 15,000 K-12 students visit the facility each year. Tech students utilize the facility for both academic and leisure activities. The annual Christmas shows attract large numbers of students as well as people from the surrounding communities. www.latech.edu/planetarium

Louisiana Tech Concert Association (LTCA)

The Louisiana Tech Concert Association (LTCA) seeks to enrich the lives of Tech students and members of the various communities with North Central Louisiana by bringing to Howard Auditorium the world’s best music, dance, and theatre as performed by professional artists. LTCA is managed through the School of the Performing Arts. For more information regarding current programming, access the following website: performingarts.latech.edu

Louisiana Tech Enterprise Center (LaTEC)

The Louisiana Tech Enterprise Center (LaTEC) opened for business in November of 2005 on the north side of the Louisiana Tech University campus. Our headquarters is located at 509 West Alabama, but in February 2007 we added additional space in the new Biomedical Engineering Building next to the Institute for Micromanufacturing (IfM) and Collaboration Alley. LaTEC (www.enterprise.latech.edu) houses the Louisiana Tech Technology Incubator (LTTI) and the Technology Business Development Center (TBDC). As the primary business support and development outreach arm of the University, LaTEC is designed to facilitate and promote the growth of new and existing ventures in the innovation enterprise in the I-20 corridor of north Louisiana.

The Center’s incubation space and business development services are focused on early-stage technology companies with a connection to Louisiana Tech University. In addition, the outreach activities and services of LaTEC, primarily through the TBDC, serve clients throughout the I-20 corridor of north Louisiana. Under certain circumstances this region can be expanded to include companies or prospective companies in any other Louisiana parish or, for certain limited services, to prospective companies interested in locating in north Louisiana. The services of the TBDC are provided to primarily technology businesses. A technology business is a business that derives the majority of its gross receipts from the design, development or creation (for lease, sale, or license) of technology-based products, processes or related services.

In addition to low-cost office space, shared equipment, research and product development facilities, and a synergistic work environment, LaTEC offers an extensive array of services to client businesses. These services are organized into seven tiers: (1) Entrepreneurial Infrastructure, (2) Entrepreneurship Development, (3) Venture Exploration, (4) Planning Startup, (5) Startup, (6) Growth and Expansion, and (7) Exit.

Louisiana Tech Museum

The Louisiana Tech Museum was established July 1, 1982, with the objectives of fostering scholarship at the University, encouraging research by faculty and students, helping educate area school children, and being a cultural center for the region. Numerous exhibits represent the fields of anthropology, archaeology, architecture, art, biological sciences, geology, history, and technology. More than 10,000 artifacts are included in the Indian collections. The museum is not just for viewing but is also a place where study and research can be conducted.

Louisiana Tech Speech and Hearing Center

The Louisiana Tech Speech and Hearing Center provides diagnostic evaluations and treatment for Louisiana Tech students, as well as individuals of all ages with speech, language, and/or hearing disorders. Located in Robinson Hall, the Center accepts referrals from all sources for its services, which include speech, language, and hearing evaluations; hearing-aid evaluation/dispensing; speech-language therapy; and aural rehabilitation. These services are provided by graduate student clinicians under the direct supervision of faculty who are licensed and hold the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology and/or Audiology awarded by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. For more information, contact the Speech Department at (318) 257-4764.

Louisiana Tech Teachers’ Institute

The Teachers’ Institute reflects Louisiana Tech University’s long-standing commitment to promoting and enhancing the quality of elementary and secondary education. The primary purposes of the Institute are to provide a formal linkage between faculty in Applied and Natural Sciences, Liberal Arts, Engineering and Science, Business, and Education with public school teachers; to provide a university structure for the development of faculty joint projects; and to provide an administrative structure for the development of grant proposals. Faculty expertise in the various discipline areas are made available to teachers through workshops, courses, and other activities. Specifically designed courses are taught by the faculty to expand the teachers’ knowledge base and to up-date them on the latest developments in the field.

Louisiana Tech University - Shreveport Center

The Louisiana Tech University - Shreveport Center is located in a modern educational facility with distance learning capabilities. Louisiana Tech University offers selected undergraduate and graduate coursework, workshops, and conferences addressing the educational needs of northwest Louisiana. The Shreveport Center serves as a partner with business, industry, and the medical community in economic development activities related to engineering and technology.

Museum of Fashion and Textiles

The Museum of Fashion and Textiles at Louisiana Tech University was established to preserve and exhibit the fashion heritage of the North Louisiana area. The collection, initiated in 1976 as a result of a donation of fifty garments from the private collection of Virginia Laskey of Ruston, was organized formally as a museum in 1983. Items include: (1) Fashion, or costumes, and accessories, (2) Textiles, and (3) Paper (patterns, magazines, catalogs, and photographs). Since 1993, the Museum has been housed in the School of Human Ecology, located in Carson Taylor Hall. In 2000, the Museum inherited a vast collection of treasures from the estate of Winifred Spencer Williams, which increased the collection size to over 3,000 pieces. The collections represent a comprehensive array of women’s fashions from the late 19^th Century and the 20^th Century. The collections are an educational tool for university classes. Students have the opportunity to view dress from 1880 until the present. Historical and documentary research is possible in the areas of conservation, preservation, environmental conditions, or a particular facet of fashion and fabric design. Periodic exhibits are open to the public and private showings/seminars are also available. Contact the School of Human Ecology (318-257-3727) for more information.

NASA Educator Resource Center (NASA ERC)

The NASA Educator Resource Center is a repository of exemplary science and math materials made available to educators by NASA. Louisiana Tech was selected by NASA in 1999 to serve as the host institution for the ERC serving the entire state of Louisiana. The ERC is housed in the College of Education under the umbrella of SciTEC. www.scitecatlatech.weebly.com.

Pre-Professional Programs

Louisiana Tech University provides excellent preparation for them student planning a career requiring advanced study in specialized programs.

Pre-Law

Because of the diversity and complexity of this discipline, there is no single curriculum or course of study which is prerequisite to or guarantees success in law school. Students who intend to study law are referred to the Pre-Law concentration in the Department of Social Sciences, College of Liberal Arts. A choice can then be made based upon personal preference and future goals.

Pre-Medicine and Pre-Dentistry

In pre-medical and pre-dental preparation, a student’s academic major need not be one in a field of science; however, experience shows that the majority of applicants to medical or dental school will have a science major. Students are urged to follow their personal inclinations in selecting a major, recognizing that a physician or dentist should have a broad educational background.

The Pre-medical and Pre-dental Advisory Committee is composed of faculty members representing the disciplines of Biomedical Engineering, Biological Sciences, Chemistry, and English-Honors. Students should select a major and plan a course of study in consultation with a pre-medical or pre-dental advisor.

The minimum requirements for most medical and dental schools include one year each of Biology with lab, General Chemistry with lab, Organic Chemistry with lab, General Physics with lab, Mathematics, and English. Also, applicants are required to submit scores on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) or the Dental Admission Test (DAT). The test should be taken in the spring of the junior year prior to application. It is strongly suggested that these examinations not be attempted until courses in genetics, animal physiology, organic chemistry, biochemistry, and physics have been successfully completed.

In the spring of each calendar year, personal interviews are conducted by the Pre-medical and Pre-dental Advisory Committee for the purpose of evaluating those students preparing to make formal application to either dental or medical school. This interview is a very important part of the student’s application process. After the interview, the Committee prepares recommendations that will be forwarded to the Admissions Committee of the professional schools to which the student has applied.

Alpha Epsilon Delta (AED) is a national pre-medical and pre-dental honor society which is open to students possessing a minimum grade point average of 3.20 and at least 40 semester hours of course work.

Pre-Veterinary Medicine

Students wishing to pursue a career in veterinary medicine are referred to the Pre-Veterinary Medicine Concentration in the Animal Science curriculum. Those who have earned an exceptional grade point average and an acceptable score on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) may wish to apply for admission to veterinary school during their junior year. These students may become candidates for the B.S. degree in Animal Science after completing the first year of work at a veterinary school.

For assistance in planning a course of study, students should consult with the Pre-Veterinary Medicine advisor in the Department of Agricultural Sciences, College of Applied and Natural Sciences.

Other Health Science Programs

Louisiana Tech offers degree programs in the health science areas, including Nursing, Dietetics, Health Informatics and Information Management, and Medical Technology.

Nursing: Advisors for the Associate Degree program in Nursing are located in the Division of Nursing, College of Applied and Natural Sciences.

Dietetics: Programs in Dietetics include an undergraduate didactic program, a post-baccalaureate internship, and a graduate program. These programs are housed in the School of Human Ecology, College of Applied and Natural Sciences.

Child Life: Child life, a concentration within the Family and Child Studies degree program, prepares students to obtain an internship and take the exam to become a Certified Child Life Specialist, working with hospitalized children and their families. The program is housed in the School of Human Ecology.

Health Informatics and Information Management: A baccalaureate program is offered both on campus and electronically. The Master of Health Informatics is offered only electronically through the Department of Informatics and Health Information Management, College of Applied and Natural Sciences.

Medical Technology is a baccalaureate degree program located in the School of Biological Sciences, College of Applied and Natural Sciences.

In addition, there are many other health careers for which Louisiana Tech can offer prerequisite courses to prepare students to enter a professional program at another institution. These pre-professional areas are listed below with the department and college in which they are offered:

Cytotechnology, nuclear medicine technology, respiratory therapy, histological technology, physician’s assistant, occupational therapy, physical therapy, surgical assistant, and radiologic technology preparation is offered in the School of Biological Sciences, College of Applied and Natural Sciences.

Pre-Optometry and Pre-Pharmacy are in the School of Biological Sciences, College of Applied and Natural Sciences.

Pre-Professional Speech-Language Pathology is in the Department of Speech, College of Liberal Arts.

Students interested in any of the health science programs listed above should contact the department head in whose department the curricula are shown.

Office of Professional Education Outreach (OPEO)

Louisiana Tech University believes that one of our most important roles within the education community is to work closely with our K-12 partners to address the ever-changing needs of the schools who are working to produce students who are academically, personally, and socially prepared to be successful in the post-high school world. To that end, the College of Education has taken the lead in the development and delivery of a variety of professional development courses designed to strengthen the content knowledge and pedagogical skills of classroom teachers in Louisiana.

In an effort to be more responsive to the expressed needs of our K-12 partners, the College of Education established the Office of Professional Education Outreach. Operated through our Science and Technology Education Center, this office serves as an initial point of contact for schools and school districts seeking professional development services available through the College of Education at Louisiana Tech University. http://education.latech.edu/departments/science_technology_education_center/opeo.php.

Prescott Memorial Library

Centrally located in the heart of campus activities, Prescott Memorial Library offers a full array of information resources and services.

The Library houses an extensive and well-balanced collection of informational sources including over 3.7 million volumes, over 2,700 current periodical subscriptions, over 40,000 maps, and extensive electronic resources. Tech’s library is one of only forty-seven U.S. Government Regional Documents Depositories, and it is a historical depository for Louisiana State Documents, USGS Maps, and Department of Energy Contractor reports. Other facilities within the library include the Electronic Reference Center with 35 computer workstations for research, the Electronic Classroom with workstations for library instruction, and the Student Technology Laboratory with over 50 computer workstations providing Internet access and productivity software. Secure wireless network access is available on all floors.

Many library services and resources are located on the main floor, easily accessible upon entering the building. Included on the main floor are reference, government documents and reserve book collections, as well as the Electronic Resource Center, the Circulation Desk, and to assist with reference inquiries, the Information Desk.

The third floor contains the complete periodical collection including microforms and the Forestry Library. Upper floors (five-nine) house the main book collection and provide quiet study space for group and individual use.

Located on the fourth floor are collections for more specialized research. The American Foreign Policy Center is a continuing collection of microfilmed primary source material for the study of U.S. foreign policy. The Department of Special Collections, Manuscripts, and Archives is comprised of the University Archives, the Forestry Archives, the William King Stubbs Architectural Archives, the Camp Ruston collection, Frellsen Fletcher Smith Literary Collection, and other manuscript collections documenting the history of the University and the region, as well as rare books, maps, and other materials.

The library’s faculty and staff welcome the opportunity to serve the students and faculty of the Louisiana Tech University academic community. The library home page is www.latech.edu/library.

Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness

This Institute builds on a long standing relationship with the Louisiana Center for the Blind and Louisiana Tech. Its primary focus is initiatives on professional development opportunities for teachers of the blind, development of appropriate curricula and materials for these individuals, development of curricula for preparing teachers of the blind, research on issues of education for blind persons, and dissemination of research and development results. The overall goal of the Institute is to advance the blindness field by providing the blind and professionals serving the blind with innovative programs and conducting meaningful research that will empower blind people to live independent and productive lives. The Institute is designed to address the needs of the over 16,000 Louisiana blind citizens who have significant education/training needs, and works to expand these possibilities through nationwide training and research as well.

Psychological Services Clinic (PSC)

The Psychological Services Clinic (PSC) is part of the Psychology and Behavioral Science Department. The PSC offers affordable psychological counseling and assessment services to members of the community. The PSC is staffed by doctoral students who are supervised by licensed psychologists.

School of Art Galleries

To promote the understanding of contemporary art, the School of Art administers two galleries within the F.Jay Taylor Visual Arts Center. Artists from across the United States annually display a wide variety of creative work chosen by the Gallery Committee. The galleries offer receptions for the artists where visitors may converse with and/or listen to lectures from the exhibiting artists. Admission is free and open to the public.

Science and Technology Education Center (SciTEC)

SciTEC is an active outreach program of the College of Education organized to serve the surrounding school systems and communities. Activities of the Center include six broad initiatives: professional development programs for in-service teachers, collections of exemplary math and science materials, exemplary undergraduate math and science education, the IDEA Place and Planetarium, the NASA Education Resource Center, and community outreach activities. http://education.latech.edu/departments/science_technology_education_center/

Spatial Data Lab (SDL)

The Spatial Data Lab (SDL), created in 1999, is a state-of-the-art high tech facility used for teaching and research purposes. The SDL has 25 PC’s running Windows 7, arranged around 5 large workstation tables. Geospacial computing programs such as ArcGIS and ERDAS Imagine and Pathfinder Office are loaded on all machines and are kept up-to-date with the latest software releases. The SDL maintains a GIS server which is used to publish geographic data and maps to other labs and to the internet. A full complement of GPS equipment, from small handhelds to survey grade rovers are used at the SDL for teaching and research. For hardcopy data input and output needs, the SDL houses a large format scanner and a large format color plotter. The SDL hosts numerous GIS training options ranging from academic to continuing education courses offered in either traditional and distance learning formats. For more information about the SDL, contact the School of Forestry Office at (318)257-4985.

Study Abroad Programs

Louisiana Tech University encourages its students to participate in varied educational experiences including academic programs that foster opportunities for culturally enriching experiences outside the United States. The University currently offers several avenues for study abroad:

• The University offers specialized study abroad courses or programs through individual academic units at Louisiana Tech University. Some current offerings include study abroad opportunities to Costa Rica (Foreign Languages), London (Theater and English), Florence (History), and Paris (Art). Proposals for these courses or programs are reviewed by the College Review Tour Committees and the University Tour Committee.

In order to further the international education of its student body, the University has available Summer Study Abroad Scholarships. These scholarships are offered competitively on an annual basis to students of junior or senior standing seeking to enrich their educational experience by participating in an international travel program while taking courses in their major field of study. Finalists are interviewed by the Committee on International Education.

• CODOFIL, the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana (www.codofil.org) and MICFA, the Interuniversity Mission for the Coordination of Franco-American Exchanges provide opportunities for study at sixteen universities in and around Paris, France. www.micefa.org
  • Louisiana Tech University is a member institution of two organizations which offer students a wide variety of already-developed study abroad opportunities at locations throughout the world: Council on International Educational Exchange www.ciee.org and The Institute of International Education www.iie.org.
  • For additional information about study abroad opportunities, contact the Director of Study Abroad Programs at Louisiana Tech University, Study Abroad Office, P. O. Box 10018, Ruston, LA 71272; or by calling (318) 257-2660.

Technology Business Development Center (TBDC)

The Technology Business Development Center (TBDC) supports and facilitates the establishment, growth, and success of technology-based businesses along the I-20 corridor. The Center provides information, counseling services, and educational opportunities for entrepreneurs that are planning, starting, growing, operating, or exiting technology-oriented business enterprises in the region. This Center generates and disseminates information about the entrepreneurial infrastructure in north Louisiana. The TBDC advocates for entrepreneurship, promotes innovation, increases awareness of entrepreneurship, and encourages the exploration of innovative opportunities. Basic assistance for startups and continuing management support for new ventures, growing firms, and mature operations is provided by the TBDC. Assistance and support available through the Center are specifically tailored to meet the needs of entrepreneurs who are investigating and pursuing business enterprises based on useful new technologies or unique applications of technology that have the potential to create high quality employment opportunities in Louisiana. www.enterprise.latech.edu

The IDEA Place

The IDEA Place (Investigate, Discover, Explore, Ask) is a hands-on children’s museum designed to provide children and adults an opportunity to experience the excitement of learning about mathematics and science through interactive activities. School groups visit on field trips while pre-service education majors serve as guides. Education majors are encouraged to interact with students and gain valuable pre-student teaching experiences as children explore a variety of phenomena.

The essence of the IDEA Place is its interactive exploration of scientific phenomena. The Center houses the Experiment Gallery, a collection of over 35 interactive hands-on exhibits designed by the Science Museum of Minnesota. The Experiment Gallery features exhibits in each of the following theme areas: Electricity, Weather, Sound and Waves, Light and Optics, and Mechanics. Also found in the museum are exhibits from the Exploratoriun in San Francisco, and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI). At the Activity Station, pre-service teachers provide opportunities for visiting groups to see scientific demonstrations and for participation in a variety of experiments. The Resource Room is available for visitors to further explore topics of interest. Over 10,000 K-12 students visit the IDEA Place each year. http://www.latech.edu/ideaplace/.

Trenchless Technology Center (TTC)

The Trenchless Technology Center (TTC: ttc.latech.edu) is a university/industry cooperative research center under the College of Engineering and Science. The Trenchless Technology Center (TTC) was initiated as the Trenchless Excavation Center in 1989 and formally established as the Trenchless Technology Center in November 1991. In addition to its research activities, a strong effort has been focused towards the education of engineers, contractors, government agencies and others about the availability and capabilities of trenchless methods for the solution of difficult underground infrastructure problems.

The strategic directions of the TTC are guided by an active Industry Advisory Board (IAB) which also provides core financial support for the Center. The Center currently has 41 Board members.

The faculty members associated with the TTC represent engineering, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, physics, and statistics. While concentrating on below-ground infrastructure, the Center’s activities in recent years have had broad application to a wide range of urban infrastructure systems and green construction materials.

In 2007, the National Trenchless Technology Facility (NTTF) was dedicated. Built and equipped almost entirely with private funds, this is a one-of-a-kind 5,140 sq. ft. facility includes a 3,430 sq. ft. high-bay research laboratory with overhead crane, 3 foot-thick strong floor, two soil test chambers (a large one, 20 ft x 20 ft x 11 ft high, and a small one, 12 ft x 6ft x 4 ft high) that facilitate academic and prototype development studies related to the design procedures and performance of underground utility installations. Adjacent to the NTTF is a field testing site of approximately 70,000 sq. ft. has been used for a variety of field tests related to HDD research, pipe systems and ground movements associated with upsizing during pipe replacement, etc. Additional laboratories are housed in the Bogard Hall building. Materials Characterization Lab has been used for testing the short- or long-term pressure response of a variety of pipes and pipe lining systems, and Rheology Lab for HDD drilling fluid properties. State-of-the-art Electromagnetic Lab is an advanced research and testing facility for developing sensors for trenchless applications. Research activities at the Center are supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Louisiana Board of Regents, other State agencies, and industrial partners.